Monoclonal antibodies to testicular autoantigens of a teleost, the Nile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

✍ Scribed by Mochida, Kazuhiko ;Adachi, Shinji ;Nakamura, Ikumi ;Yamauchi, Kohei

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1011 KB
• Volume: 269
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402690511

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In teleosts, several autoantigens, so‐called sperm‐specific antigens, are expressed on the germ cell surface during spermiogenesis and are thought to have sperm‐specific functions. To investigate the functions of the autoantigens in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, monoclonal antibodies to these polypeptides were produced. Balb/c mice were immunized with the autoantigens purified from the detergent‐solubilized sperm protein by antisperm autoantibody affinity chromatography. Four hybridomas producing specific antibodies to the autoantigens were obtained. The monoclonal antibody, TAT (Testicular Antigen of Tilapia)‐10 recognized a 27 kDa antigen. This antigen was localized in A and early B type of spermatogonia, spermatids in late spermiogenesis, and spermatozoa. This antigen was located primarily in the mid piece of the spermatozoa. Another antibody, TAT‐20, recognized a 80 kDa polypeptide and another of about 40 kDa. TAT‐21 recognized only a 80 kDa antigen. The antigens recognized by both TAT‐20 and 21 were localized in spermatids in late spermiogenesis and in spermatozoa. TAT‐30 reacted with a 120 kDa antigen which was localized in the epithelium of seminal ducts, Sertoli cells and spermatozoa. The antigens recognized by TAT‐20, 21, and 30 were primarily on the head of spermatozoa. The possible functions of these autoantigens were discussed. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.